Grille



Aug. 6, 1940.

R. R. GANDOR GRILLE Filed Sept. 28. 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 6,]

PATENT- {Tome 2,210,023 GRILLE Robert a. candor; Dayton,

Ohio, minor to General Motors Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application September 28,1935,Serlal No. 42,648

4 Claims.

This invention relates to grilles and their manufacture, and more particularly to grilles which are to be used in connection with air conditioning or refrigerating apparatus.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved grille and an improved method of manufacturinga grille.

. Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent; from the following description, reference being had to the accom-' panying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the. drawings:

Fig. l is a plan view of one embodiment of my grille;

Fig. 2 is a transverse cross-section of the grille in partly completed condition;

Fig. 3 is an enlargement of a portion of Fig. 1

. with a portion of the frame broken away; go Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of a sheet which maybe used in the manufacture of a slightly modified form of the invention;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing a slightly modified form; Fig. 6 is a cross-section of the strip shown in Fig. 4 taken midway between the grooves;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing a slightly modified form;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing no the form indicated in Fig. 7-;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing a further modification;

Fig. 10 is a'view similar to Fig. 3, but showing the modification indicated in Fig. 9; 86' Fig. 11 is a perspective of a portion of a grille usinga further modified form; and

Fig. 12 is a diagrammatic representation of an air conditioning or refrigerating apparatus embodying my invention.

(0 A grille embodying my invention includes, in general, a plurality of relatively thin metal sheets l0 and II stacked upon each other in such a manner that the main portions of the sheets are held in spaced parallel relationship.

The sheets may be held in spaced parallel relationship by means of a plurality of grooves l2 and I3. These grooves are formed on the sheets so that when the sheets are stacked together the grooves are in staggered relationship or in other differently disposed relationship as indicated in the drawings. The grille may be placed in a frame surrounding the periphery of the grille, which frame is preferably formed of an integral channelmetal member II with its flanges properly cut to form smooth corners, as at I 5.

, In the modification shown in Figs. 2 and 3 the grooves l2 and I3 are made at right angles to the length of the strips Ill and H; but the grooves I2 on strips ID are differently disposed with respect to the ends of thestrip than are the grooves B with respect to the ends of the strips II. In this manner two groups (a group of strips l0 and a group of strips ll) of strips are formed having grooves differently disposed with respect to their ends. Strips from alternate groups may be stacked upon eachother so that the grooves of the strips of one group (III) rest against main portions of the strips of another group (I I).

After the strips have been stacked, they may be secured together either by the frame It, or by bonding the strips together, or both. The strips may be bonded together either by dipping them in the bonding material, such as molten solder, or they may be brazed in a reducing atmosphere, such as hydrogen, eitherby using strips of sheet metal, such as steel, coated with a small amount of bonding material such as copper or an alloy thereof; or the strips may be made of sheet metal, such as steel, and the bonding material may be sprinkled thereon in powdered form, being held in position by any suitable adhesive substance. comprising a plurality of relatively thin metal sheets stacked upon each other and having grooves arranged in staggered relation in which the sheets may be bonded together at the grooves.

Strip material may be used. Thus the sheets Ill and II may be formed from a single strip of material by passing said strip through a suitable groove-forming mechanism and thereafter the strips may be severed into a plurality of strips forming groups l0 and H, or the group I0 may be formed from one strip of the material and the group II may be formed from a different strip.

In the modifications shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, the strips Ina are similar to the strips ill, but one or both of the edges of the main portions of the strips are bent or deflected as indicated at Hi. The strips I la are similar to the strips II, and likewise one or both edges are bentor deflected as indicated at IT. These deflections may extend gradually all the way-between the grooves Ma, and all the way between the grooves l3a, or they may extend only for a portion of the distance between the grooves. The grille shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 may be formed and assembled in the same manner as the grille here- Thus a grille may be formedof strips I it are placed at an angle to the normal line of air-flow, which air-flow ordinarily is at a right angle to the length of the strip. The "grooves l2b are in staggered relationship to the grooves MD in a manner similar to that disclosed with-respect to Figs. 2 and 3. The grille in this modification may be made in the same manner as that disclosed with respect to Figs. 2 and 3, with the exception that the grooves are formed at an angle to the normal of the length of the strip.

In the modification shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the' grooves l2c of the strips llic are at an angle to the normal air-flow, and the grooves l3c of thestrips H'c are at a differently directed angle to the normal air-flow. The angle of the grooves I may be the same in number of degrees as the angle of the grooves I30, but in a different direction. However, it is to be understood that the angle of the grooves I20 may be a different number of degrees than the angle of the grooves I; and in fact, the angles of the grooves I20 may alsodiffer among themselves as well as differ from the angles of the grooves l3c,which, in turn, may also differ from each other in angularity. The grille shown in Figs. 9 and 10 may be manufactured substantially the same as described with respect to the grille of Figs. 2 and 3, with the exception that the angle of the grooves is changed. v

The modification shown in Fig. 11 is somewhat similar to that shown in Figs. 9 and 10; but the grooves I2e of the strips Hie are perpendicular to the length of the strip, whereas the grooves I3e of the strips lle are at an angle to the normal air-flow. It is understood that the grille strucratus.

ture shown in Fig. 11 may be manufactured in a manner similar to that described with respect to Figs. 2 and 3 and may be placed in a. frame substantially in the same manner.

The groove structures and the deflections l6 and II are particularly useful in insuring proper air-flow through the grille when the grille is used in air conditioning or refrigerating appa- The air flowing through the grille is acted upon by the grooves and deflectors to difiuse the same and prevent objectionable drafts 0n the occupants of the room.

When used for air conditioning, the strips of material may be made of any suitable size. For example the strips may be between one-half and three-quarters of an inch in width andother dimensions may follow the proportions of the drawings. This isby way of example, however, and may be varied as desired.

Fig. 12 shows diagrammatically an air conditioning apparatus using my grille. Fig. 12 may be taken to be either a horizontal or a vertical cross-section of the apparatus. The apparatus may include an air tempering or cooling coil 20 through'which air flows and is conditioned by either being refrigerated, dehumidified or heated and/or humidified. The air is caused to flow through the structure by meansof a fan 2| driven by 'a motor 22. The air then flows throu h the grille structure 23, which may be any of the embodiments previously described, and,is disa charged into the enclosure. The grille not only modifies and diffuses the air passing therethrough, but hides any unsightly structures within the air conditioning apparatus. The coil 2.

may be connected to a source of heating or cooling fluid. Thus it maybe connected to a refrigerant liquefying unit 24' including a motor iswhich drives a compressor 28. The compressor may be connected to a condenser 21 and receiver 28.- The receiver 28 may be connected through an automatic expansion valve 20 with the coil 20. The coil '20 may be connected by the suction line 30 with the compressor 28. A thermostat or a humidostat 3| governs the operation of the motor 25 in accordance with air conditions created by or eflecting the air conditioning apparatus. The coil 20, or a similar 0011, may be connected to a furnace for heating, if desired.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows? 1. A grille comprising a plurality of metal strips each having relatively long substantially straight portions separated by relatively narrow cross grooves integrally formed therein, said grooves projecting in the same general direction, the grooves of each strip being staggered relative to the grooves of the strip immediately adjacent thereto whereby the bottom portions of the grooves in one strip engage the straight portions of the adjacent strip.

2. A grille composed of a plurality of metal strips each having similar transversely disposed narrow channels separated by relatively long straight portions, the channels of each strip beprojecting in the same general direction, the

grooves of each strip being staggered relative to the grooves of the strip immediately adjacent thereto whereby the bottom portions of the grooves in one strip engage the straight portions of the adjacent strip, and a frame member holding said strips in assembled relationship.

4. A grille comprising a plurality of metal strips each having relatively long substantially straight portions separated by relatively narrow cross grooves integrally formed therein, said grooves projecting in the same general direction, the grooves of each strip being staggered relative to the grooves of the strip immediately adjacent thereto whereby the bottom portions of the grooves in one strip engage the straight portions of the adjacent strip, said strips comprising means for diffusing the air flowing through the grille.

ROBERT R. CANDOR. 

